Welcome Statement by C. Mario Russell
July 11, 2023

Welcome Statement by C. Mario Russell
Executive Director
Center for Migration Studies of New York
July 11, 2023
Dear Friends,
I am very excited to introduce myself to you as the new executive director of the Center for Migration Studies of New York (CMS). I am grateful to CMS, its Board of Trustees, and the Scalabrinian Missionaries for extending to me this honor and privilege.
My daily encounters with migrants over the years as a lawyer, professor, and advocate have given me a sober perspective on the realities, challenges, and opportunities they face. Seemingly intractable systemic forces cause migration: war, poverty, social and political upheaval, discrimination, climate change. And an equally intractable stiffness hardens the welcome of receiving countries: intolerance, fear, and indifference. But with over 100 million people having been forced to leave their homes (1.2% of the world population), and with 280 million migrants living outside their country of birth, this untenable situation must change. Countries that push out their citizens and those that receive them can do better.
Old tools and outdated policies continue to be used to address modern day migration challenges worldwide and in the United States. Whether applied to the movement of people in the high seas or in desert border spaces, in labor outflows and inflows, or to those seeking family reunification, safe-haven, and social integration, these tools must be re-examined, updated, and reset. Sensible dialogue can give way to rational and coherent policies that balance national interest, justice, and compassion for the individual.
The work of CMS—its excellent staff, contributors, and past leadership—in studying international migration, promoting understanding between immigrants and receiving communities, and advancing public policies that safeguard the dignity and rights of migrants is as groundbreaking today as it was when founded almost 60 years ago. It is my intention that CMS, with the Scalabrini International Migration Network and the several Migration Study Centers worldwide, continue to advance this important person-centered and community focused mission. And it is my hope that in my time as Executive Director, we will broaden our understanding of new needs and challenges, increase network capacity and communication, and strengthen the promotion of just public policy.
With a shared obligation to build a future in which migrants and refugees may live in peace and with dignity, let us continue to create pathways to a better welcome.
Thank you for your support and partnership.
Mario Russell
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July 11, 2023